The End of a Nightmare
by LilyFierros
Summary: The age of darkness is on it's way, and it seems that Voldemort's defeat has done nothing to stop it's arrival. Can the Light triumph again? Pairings: Lily/James, Ginny/Harry, Ginny/OC, Hermione/Ron. Sequel to The Nightmare of Midnight! Enjoy!
1. Disclaimer

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters, scenes, animals, etc. They all belong to J.K. Rowling's imagination, and to Warner Bros.**

**Before anything else, (and I am deeply sorry for constantly modifying this document) I would like to ofer a few thanks to some wonderful, talented, and nice people:**

**First, to my beta, : _listen2music4ever: _Thank you so much for all your help! Really, you do save my life.**

**Second, to my family, who has always stood alongside me in things, they, who always supported me, even when I wasn't sure of my desicions, thank you.**

**To my friends, because some of our funny or sad or angry experienses inspire me to write more. Thanks for iluminating my way!**

**To all the ones who favourited this story or this Author within the first day : Thank you so much! **

**To all the readers, I hope you enjoy this story, one that I've spent hours planning, so that I wouldn't let you incomplete. Thanks for sticking up with me!**

**...Feel free to review, you know, as always: love to hear your thoughts about this. Or you can pm me... whatever tickles your fancy.**

**The author,**

**Lily Fierros**


	2. Prologue

The End of a Nightmare.

By Lily Fierros.

Chapter 1.- What Happened to Nightmare?

"Someone cannot go missing without someone knowing something, somewhere."

-Carolann Hunt

_Harry's missing. Nobody knows why he left that day after Voldemort's demise. Nobody knows if he'll come back someday. We just know he's not here, and that's enough for us to worry._

_The air is so tense, nobody is speaking with anybody. He was the one that held us together and without him, we're falling apart._

_We'd hoped he would come back that day, that he was only gone for a minute, or an hour, but he never returned. We're starting to worry that he'll never come back. We're losing hope every day._

_He is not here to help us anymore._

Lily remembered a time like this. It had been a long time ago; she tried to hide those feelings at the time. When Harry first disappeared, Lily could hardly breathe from the guilt and pain. What kind of mother was she? A terrible one, that's for sure. She had been so cruel that her first-born son fled away from her. James attempted to console her, but her heart couldn't hold up much longer. She remembered locking herself in her room for weeks, only going out so that Albus Dumbledore wouldn't suspect anything.

The situation right now was eerily similar. Except now, Lily wasn't going to lock herself up anymore. She wasn't going to give up on him ever again. She had done him enough wrong over the years – it was time to earn her place as a mother, as his mother.

She wouldn't lose Harry again if she could help it.

But what had happened to Harry when he disappeared from the Great Hall? Had he gone to a safe place? Had he gotten lost – or worse, had he been captured by some of the remaining Death Eaters? Some of them were still free and seeking revenge to those whom killed their precious master.

Charles had been restless, all of them had been. All of the teens were determined to find Nightmare, even if it was the last thing they did.

However, The Order of the Phoenix was another situation entirely.

Under the command of Dumbledore, there were some mixed feelings about the search for Harry Potter. Some of them believed him to be a vigilante, which Lily supposed could be used to describe Harry, and believed justice would catch him anyway. They stated that he took justice into his own hands, and that he had not been on the right side of the law. The treasonous Midnights, a group which Harry formerly led, only added to their suspicions. Dumbledore didn't hide the fact that he despised Harry - which Lily knew was because of the old man's habit of interfering, believing everything was for the greater good - and often called his helping hand on Voldemort's death 'pure, sheer luck.' Lily privately thought he was too proud to admit he had been wrong.

Members like the Marauders, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Nymphadora Tonks, Aberforth Dumbledore, Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody, and others were on Harry's side. They were grateful for his help guiding Charles, and determined to find him, even if just to repay him.

They owed it to him. Lily owed it to him, and like the others, she was determined as ever to make up all the years of abuse and neglect, even if she could never repay him.

Her son deserved a normal life, and she was going to give him just that.


	3. Chapter 1

The End of a Nightmare.

By Lily Fierros.

Chapter 1- Friends at Midnight

"I don't have friends – I've just got one."

-_Sherlock_, BBC

"The 600th meeting of the Order of the Phoenix will now begin."

All of the Lightnings and Charles Potter moved closer to the device on the floor, almost to show their anxious and worried glances at it.

Ron and Ginny looked up when Fred and George joined them, looking grimly at their WWW product. Their relationship with the family was tense at the moment, but they couldn't stay angry with the twins for long, especially when they helped them eavesdrop on important Order meetings.

"Has it started?" asked Fred, earning himself a glare from all the younger teens. "…Right, sorry." A new voice floated through the earphones.

"Severus," said the voice of Albus Dumbledore, and almost every teen frowned at it. The adults may have been clueless about the 'Light's leader,' but they all had reasons for suspecting him for Nightmare's – Harry's - disappearance. It was no secret that Dumbledore hated Harry with terrible passion, thinking he had come to ruin all his precious plans.

"Any news from the remaining Death Eaters?"

A slight thud echoed across the manor. Everyone turned to look at Neville.

"Sorry," he said, apologetic. "Foot slipped."

The teens shook their heads amusedly and turned to the device again. Ivy, who's true name was Lily, muttered something that sounded like "oh, Neville," while Luna patted the blushing boy's arm.

"Nothing new, Headmaster," sneered Severus Snape, the Potions Master and official spy for the Order. "I haven't been called at all since May 20th, two years ago."

Those teens closest to Harry winced at the date, for that was the day he disappeared.

Several members agreed with his statement.

"I've never seen peaceful times ever since Riddle started his 'mission'."

"- less number of deaths, yes – "

"- Nothing has happened, yet – "

A second of silence, and then –

"And my son, Dumbledore? What about my son?!"

Some of them gasped. They had never heard, nor imagined James Potter ever speak with such passion or anger on his voice, much less of it for Harry Potter, his eldest son. Charles gulped noisily; he had heard that tone before. His dad was seriously angry at Dumbledore.

"James, I assure you, Harry is just probably in hiding – "

"Stop that!" James hit the table with his fist. The teens imagined everyone wincing at the action. Some grinned in appreciation, mainly Charles, Draco and Ginny. "I know, and _you _know that that's not true!"

"Mr. Potter!" Professor McGonagall shrieked.

"No, Minerva, James is right!"

"Lily?" Sirius asked, his voice sounded out of breath, stunned beyond words.

"I'm tired of playing Dumbledore's games!" the red-headed woman exclaimed. "I don't know if you do it for yourself, Albus, or for the 'greater good' you love so much! I don't care about anything else. I. Want. My. Son. Back."

The Lightnings looked at each other, surprised. She sounded sincere. Did she really regret treating Harry so badly that much? Ginny felt a rush of respect for the woman.

"Lily, James, please," Albus replied calmly. "You must consider the probability that Harry is, well – dead."

A chair screeched across the floor. The group of teens that had nearly not restrained themselves at the word _dead_, listened, totally immersed in the voices.

"My son is **not **dead, Dumbledore!" James shouted, rage filling his voice. Charles winced, clearly picturing his dad in that mood. James wasn't an easy person to get angry. He was normally an easy bloke that let everything flow, but when he got angry, he _really_ got angry. "Should I refresh your memory to the day when Harry first ran away? You tried to convince us that he was dead! Bloody hell, Albus, you were the one that blackmailed us to treat him in such way!"

A deep sigh was heard. "James, I assure you, my actions were all taken in the best of the intentions."

"Yeah, right," Draco huffed. Charles hid a grin.

"Now," Dumbledore said. "In other matters…"

They tuned out the meeting, sitting in silence, but for the eavesdropping product on the floor.

"So," Ginny said softly. "They still have no clue as to where he is."

"And they still won't let us help with the search," Neville said.

"-Or get out this house," Eagle, better known as Freyn, growled.

Draco and Blaise nodded with frustration. Out of all of the teens, Draco, Blaise, and Freyn had been the angriest with their 'prison,' or what felt like one to them.

The rest smiled sadly. If Harry was there, he would've been as angry as them, he would've gotten out no matter what. That was Harry, rebellious and valiant to the end. They only hoped the expression wouldn't be too literal.

"What about the Midnights?" they heard McGonagall ask.

"There has been word that they are becoming rather… comfortable around some of the remaining Dead Eaters. In particular, Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange."

Lily, John and Freyn bowed their heads, while the Lightnings shook theirs at their former friends and colleagues. It seemed the dark had called them even sooner than they had anticipated.

Ginny sighed as she stood up, the rest turning to look at her.

"I'm so tired of all of this!" she exclaimed, her hair turning redder, before darkening again. "I can't do this. Not without Harry, I'm sorry." She ran off, and the others wondered if she had actually left the house.

"Poor Ginny," said Hermione pitifully, before turning to the Ears again, and turning them off.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ginny ran out the door, not caring about anything at all, just trying to run away. This gave her a sense of déjà vu.

Harry had done this before. She hadn't really understood then, but now she knew. She was running away, and it was wonderful.

She laughed with glee as she arrived at a nearby park. She didn't recognize her surroundings, but she couldn't care less about it, she just threw herself on the grass, tossing her fingers through it.

"Hello," said a new voice, and she turned quickly, to see an amused expression on a tall boy. With a pang, she realized he reminded her of Harry.

"Hi," she said, looking at him more closely. His eyes were blue, but for a moment she thought they looked green. His hair was light brown, but she almost wished it was a familiar dark color.

His smile was huge and had a tan complexion. Ginny could gather that he was an athlete. He had a ball under his arm, and sported athletic clothes that Harry would never even consider wearing.

"My name's Timothy," the boy said, holding out his hand. "But everyone calls me Tim."

Ginny shook his hand hesitantly. "I'm Ginny Weasley. My full name's Ginevra, but don't you dare call me that, friend or foe!"

Tim laughed as she made a ferocious expression, and then helped her get up.

"I've never seen ya around here, Ginny. Are ya new in the neighborhood?"

"Not at all, Tim," Ginny said, wishfully. If only she was here with Harry! The hidden park was perfect.

Tim coughed and then moved closer to Ginny. She grew a bit uncomfortable.

"Ya're a witch, aren't ya?" he asked secretively.

Ginny jumped in surprise. "How do you – "

Tim's face studied hers. " Know? Because I'm a warlock myself."

* * *

Somewhere, a dark haired man shifted in his troubled sleep. He could not see. He was lost.

It was cold, that, he knew. Cold, really cold, he was freezing. He could feel his fingers tingling, not with cold, but rather another kind of feeling, like electricity or like water traveling through his body, or both of them.

He didn't understand, even though a part of him already knew. He was cold and lost, and he did not belong there in that endless pit.

"Ginny?" he tried to call out, but no sound came out.

_*Where am I?*_ he thought.

He felt panic flood his being. _*Is someone there?*_

_*Hello? LET ME OUT!*_

He had arrived at a barrier kind of thing, and pounded it with his fists.

It did not break.

Screaming in frustration and rage, he slid to the floor, holding his face in his hands.  
When he finally looked up, he realized he was in a memory, a really bad memory, and could not get out.

"Not this, please, not this..." he repeated, like a mantra, but everywhere he turned, there was a mistake displayed there. He had made so many mistakes...

It seemed never ending.

* * *

"_Everything's ready?" The nearby group of men shifted nervously._

"_Yes, it is all ready to go."_

"_Good," said Lucius Malfoy, while Bellatrix cackled behind him._

"_We're moving in the morning. Without Nightmare of Midnight, the Order and the Lightnings won't know what hit them."_

* * *

**A.N. Hey, I had promised myself I wouldn't do author notes on this sequel, but I just wanted to tell you that every chapter shall be updated every Wednesday, with a few exceptions which I will tell you when time comes. :D Enjoy! - Lily**


	4. Chapter 2

The End of a Nightmare.

By Lily Fierros.

Chapter 2.- Light's a Mystery

"_The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."_

_-Edmund Burke._

Charles shifted as he stopped at the door. He cleared his throat, and both his parents looked up.

"Um," he said as he slid into the vacant chair in front of Lily and James. "I was wondering if I could talk to you."

Lily looked at him, a mix of nervousness and eagerness that made her look so funny, that if Charles didn't feel the situation was so serious, he would've laughed.

"Of course, Charles, go on, what's the problem?"

Charles hesitated. "Well, er, you see, it's about Harry."

James looked up. "Did something happen? Did he tell you something? Is he alright?"

Charles tensed. "No, he has not contacted me. I don't know where he is, or how he is," He took a deep breath, ignoring his father's disappointed 'oh'. "I just wanted to understand. Why him? Why was he the only one that you treated that way? I mean –"he added quickly, seeing their mouths opening. "I know Dumbledore told you to, because I am the 'Boy-who-lived' and all that rubbish; but what makes me better that Harry?"

James and Lily turned to look at each other.

"Nothing son," James stated. "We were fools. We love both of you."

"Then why wait until now?" Charles asked angrily. "Why wait all those years without saying anything?"

"We were – we were scared."

Charles looked at his parents'. "Scared? Scared of what – you are not scared _of_ Harry, are you?"

James cleared his throat.

"No, we were scared _for_ Harry. You don't know what kind of man Dumbledore is."

Charles nearly snorted.

He _did _know _exactly_ who Albus Dumbledore was.

He was the Puppet Master, the Mastermind, focused on the end and not on the means. He was the one that moved the chess pieces as he liked, comfortably behind his double paneled window, never asking if the pieces were alright.

Ask for more, ask for more, but never give anything in return.

That was Dumbledore.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Charles asked. "Do you have any idea of what Harry went through when he left? Did you ever wonder if he was alright?"

Now it was Lily's turn to shift.

"We know he was with the Lightning, and the Midnights…"

"But that's the thing, mum!" Charles exclaimed. "He wasn't always with them! Thank Merlin he didn't find Voldemort right when he left, or he would've recruited Harry right away!"

James paled.

"We didn't think of that."

"Of course you didn't!"

Lily moved closer to Charles, and placed a trembling hand on his arm.

"Did, did he ever mention where – where he was?"

Charles nodded. "He tells me everything."

Lily smiled sadly.

"Tell us."

Charles shook his head. "I can't."

"Charles, son, please."

"I promised him I wouldn't tell anyone, mum. I can't break his trust, especially not now."

James nodded solemnly. "Can you tell us at least if he was safe?"

Charles frowned.

"I don't know. No. He wasn't."

Lily gasped and James paled even more.

"You can't –"

"No, mum, dad. What happened is Harry's to tell, not mine. If you want him to tell you, then that's your problem. You are the ones that treated him wrong, not Dumbledore. Yes, he despises Dumbledore, but _you _are the ones he fears. I don't want him to live in fear of his own parents, so please – when you find him (as you don't let us participate in the search) then tell him everything. Talk to him. I hope, for all our sakes that he'll listen."

And with a last glance, he left the room, ready to go talk to his brother's friends.

* * *

Shadow stormed to the room, his hands moving frantically, his lips shouting orders in rapid succession. The rest of the Midnights stared, not obeying them, until he stopped and noticed their lack of action.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" he exclaimed bossily. "Go ahead, we are attacking tonight. WHY IS NO-ONE MOVING! GET OUT AND ATTACK NOW!"

The midnights did as he told them, if only because Shadow was really scary when he got angry, because he could control the darkness.

They actually preferred when Ivy, Moon and Eagle were there. They were the glue after they had thrown Nightmare out.

Shadow sighed once they were gone, while he messaged his temples. He was getting one hell of a headache.

"It seems you were not as able to lead them as you expressed, Midnight," a voice sneered and Shadow turned.

The voice belonged to Lucius Malfoy.

Shadow nearly groaned.

He loathed Lucius. He was a total narcissistic – He always thought he was the best of them all. Well, Shadow wasn't going to take it like the little Death Eaters. He hadn't survived years under Harry's leadership without backbone.

"What do you want, Lucius?"

The elder Malfoy smirked. "How do you expect to defeat your old 'master' if you can't even control your little friends?"

Shadow fist clenched.

"Nightmare wasn't my _master,_ Malfoy, don't you dare lower me to that level of rubbish."

"Am I lowering you, Midnight?"

Shadow narrowed his eyes. "Yes, you are, _Death Eater."_

Lucius laughed mockingly.

"Whatever, just make sure nobody on that town stays alive, understood?"

Shadow nodded, shoulders tense.

"Understood."

* * *

Harry walked endlessly on his prison, desperate for a way back.

This mind prison trapped him on his memories, on his mistakes, on every single thing he'd done. There was no stopping, he knew. He'd already been pulled through all his childhood memories, memories he didn't want to remember.

Sighing, he felt the pull again, and he prepared himself for the memory that he knew was going to start.

The one memory no-one knew about, the one memory no-one would understand.

The story of what had happened right after he left his house.

* * *

_Flashback._

Harry blinked harshly as he watched the perfect family meeting going on the backyard. He was never going to be part of that, now he understood. They didn't want him. He was a mistake.

He didn't belong in there.

He had to get out.

He blinked in confusion as he suddenly was in a foreign place to him. Then again, he'd never left his home, so all the world was pretty new to him.

Not for the first time, he was alone, but for some reason, it really bothered him this time. Maybe it's was that for the first time, he didn't have anywhere to go.

He then smiled, a little brokenly.

He had a whole world to explore. He decided to learn as much as he could. He was going to make things right.

He was going to make his parents proud.

He was going to make them wish they had liked him.

He had an idea of how to make that true.

He wished it with all his being, he closed his eyes, and he was in the place where his parents had taken him once, only it looked a lot younger. The walls were less old, the floors were new, and the beautifully painted windows were not there yet.

He walked through the walls until he found the library, which was where he wanted to go.

He opened the big doors and blinked with surprise. Another pair of eyes looked, surprised too.

"Er – Hello, sir," Harry muttered nervously.

The man frowned. "Hello, kid. What are you doing here?"

"I-I am, I w-want to study," Harry said, nervously, his hands twisting his large t-shirt.

"You do?" the man asked, surprise nearly covered in his voice. He was dark haired, and wore a large emerald cloak, Harry noticed.

"Yes, sir, I'll like to study very much."

"Then I guess It's okay if you stay and take a look around," the man said. "Say, what's your name?"

"I'm –"Harry hesitated. "I'm Harry." He said finally.

The man smiled softly and dropped in one knee in front of Harry.

"Hello, Harry. I am Salazar. Salazar Slytherin."

* * *

**AN. Hey guys. Sorry for the delay. It's my last term at High School, and I've been a bit busy. Sorry. Here it is, anyway, and hopefully, there won't be another delay in a looong time. **

**Lily**

**PS. Please, tell me what you think, and if anything's wrong.**


	5. Chapter 3

**The End of a Nightmare.**

**By Lily Fierros.**

**Chapter 3.- Awkwardness and Owls**

"_Where there is love, there is life."_

_-Gandhi._

* * *

The Lightnings were no fools; they were not blind, either. They knew Ginny had been owling a lot these days. To whom, they didn't know, and they didn't dare to hope that she was owling Harry. Besides, they were all pretty tight, so if Harry had contacted Harry, then he would've contacted them by now.

He wouldn't leave them behind, not now when they needed him the most.

Years ago, when they had gone to their first mission together, things had not gone well, so to blend in better, they had agreed to tell everything about each other.

They knew everything about each other.

Or so they thought.

They didn't want to believe that Ginny would've betrayed Harry like that, this soon after his disappearance.

"Ginny wouldn't betray Harry like that, wouldn't she?" Neville asked at one of their meetings (Not that they had something to do, locked in that house) when Ginny had excused herself to send another owl to 'mystery guy'. Hermione had decided he was a guy from a note she had sneaked out of Ginny's room.

On another situation, they would've answered 'no', firmly and without hesitation, but now they weren't so sure.

"Hasn't Harry had enough betrayal?" Hermione asked, worriedly passing a look at Ron and then at Charles, who, as her, were a bit closer to Harry than the rest. "I really hope, for everyone's sakes, that she is not… betraying anyone. I really hope so."

* * *

He was lost and he was blind, wherever he turned, there was nothing. He could not find a way out of this psychological torture, He could not get out of that place, that prison.

He had succumbed to the emotions long ago. He had stopped try8ing to be strong. He had failed.

"Let me out! LET ME OUT NOW!" He screamed, but nothing happened. He tensed as another wave hit him, but this time, it was a nightmare, not a memory.

_Harry was at Hogwarts, but he nearly didn't recognize it at first. It seemed more like ruins, and there wasn't anything standing. Feeling like he was going to regret it, he walked among the pieces and the walls that were lying flat against the door, and searched for someone, something, and anything. _

"_Hello?"_

_Nobody answered. As he turned into a corner, he saw a hand sticking out of the, it you could call it that: ruins. He ran towards it, throwing away the rocks that were above the body, dreading. He screamed as he saw a familiar bushy head. He retreated, and his hands touched something. Horrified he turned, only to see Charles hanging from the wall, eyes unseeing and cold. _

"_NO!" Harry shouted in grief. _

_He turned to go, but everywhere he went there were corpses lying everywhere._

_Freyn, John, Lily, James, Neville, Luna, Blaise, Draco, Charles, Ivy, Sirius, Remus, Hermione, Ron, Ginny…_

_No, no, no. _

A scream tore out of his mouth, inhuman, and more powerful than anything else.

_He had done that, he had killed everyone. It was his fault. It was his entire fault._

_I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…_

From afar, a shadow watched, eyes regretful, but determined.

It had to be done.

* * *

John and Ivy (they were calling her that, because having Two Lily's was just so confusing) met that night on the backyard.

John was arriving with a bunch of parchment rolls, and Ivy had an owl perched on her shoulder that was looking at them curiously.

Ivy frowned, and looked at her brother seriously.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

John sighed. He was sure that if Harry were here, he would give them a second chance.

"Yes, I am sure. What about you?"

Ivy nodded, she knew what her brother was thinking about and she agreed with him.

"Okay then, John," she said, and held out her arm, so that the owl could settle there.

"Pass me the letters." John did so, tying each one to the owl's feet, so they wouldn't get lost.

She then looked at the owl and stroked his feathers lightly.

"Okay, Am, go find them, okay?" she muttered at the owl, who hooted warmly before leaving for the skies.

"Don't worry, John," she said as she stood next to her brother, her hand held out to his comfortingly. "Ambrosius will find them. He never fails. You'll see."

John sighed. "That's not what I am worried about, Lily."

His sister shifted. "I know."

"You think Night would approve?" John asked.

"Yes, I think he would. Don't you?"

"I don't have any doubt," John answered firmly. "I am worried about his team, though. We don't know them as well as we know Nightmare."

They stayed silent, thinking those words, before Lily spoke softly.

"Have you been able to reach _your _group?"

John frowned slightly.

"No, I haven't been able to contact none of the members of Overlie. What about you? Have you been able to contact Embria?"

Lily shook her head.

"I wonder why…"

John held her hand tighter.

"I just hope everyone is alright."

* * *

**AN. So, I'm sorry for the delay. That was my last semester at High School, so I was really busy with, well, everything. And, I admit, I took a month off to recharge as I was pretty tired. I'm okay now, and should be updating every week, but if by any chance I don't, please, you are welcome to yell at me :D.**

**Some notes for this chapter:**

**Ivy/Lily's owl is called after Merlin. I wanted it to be welsh, Emrys, but Its a lot funnier this way. I've been hinting at the Arthurian legends since NOM - Professor Guinivere Dilard, who was the traitor. Love those Leyends.  
And finally, every member of the midnights has another group, just like Harry.  
In fact, I am planning a prequel to explain all of Harry's story, and what's up with the Midnights. By that I mean, that why are they higher up, when Harry is closer to the Lights?**

**And... the OST I used to inspire myself was from Man of Steel. That's some really amazing composition, if you want to check it up! (It's up on Youtube XD)**

**Thank you and Review!**

**Lily**


	6. Chapter 4

The End of a Nightmare.

By Lily Fierros.

Chapter 4.- Cold as ice.

"_All__ that is gold does not glitter,  
Not all those who wander are lost;  
The old that is strong does not wither,  
Deep roots are not reached by the frost."_

_-J.R.R Tolkien._

* * *

Luna had always taken comfort in researching. When she had been a small child, and her mommy had still been alive, she had spent hours researching all those amazing creatures that her father had told her about. Even now, that she was technically parentless, she often took refuge on all the knowledge she had. She still believed that the Crumple-Horned Snorkack was real.

(And it really was real).

So, after spending days in the library, with only the company of Hermione; who although a very dear friend to her, was very narrow minded, she found herself utterly frustrated, and that surprised her deeply.

Never, in her whole life had she lost her dreamy attitude. It was just part of her. Her very own way to carry on with life. Being dreamy was the way she had learnt to survive. She had never fit in – and she had never minded it.

At least, she had never fit in until she met the Lightnings. At last, she had been able to be herself, not to worry about the blows, because there, with her adopted family, she knew they never really meant it when they teased her, or that Hermione never meant to hurt her when she criticized her new theories. It was her little safe heaven.

She owed too much to them. Without their constant presence, she wouldn't be there, in the library searching something with more passion than she ever had in her life. No, she would already be in a padded cell, and she knew it. Luna knew she was crazy. Her ability to see or hear things no-one else saw or heard could get on everyone else's nerves sometimes. Luna strongly suspected that it was the Wrackspurt's fault.

Anyway, she thought as she passed her finger softly on the tomes of the library, her eyes lighting up as she saw the titles. '_New discoveries of our magical creatures_', it was a really interesting title, but it would do no good now.

She frowned slightly as she thought about her and her friend's mission.

In another part of the large room, she heard Hermione muttering to herself as she searched wildly of theories on various series of things – ranging from Ron's everlasting appetite and Ginny's new boyfriend, to the most pressing subject. Harry's subject.

Now, Luna wasn't stupid. Of course not, and she would roll her eyes at anyone who dared to suggest so. She was a Ravenclaw, thank you very much, and proud of it. She knew many things about Harry, just as she knew that Neville and Ron snored. Just as he knew that Tonks was just waiting for Remus to propose. She could deduce that Harry had not always been the kind teenager she had met. He had a dark past, a darker side.

Sometimes she could almost see it. Like when he protected Charles, or when someone threatened his friends. It was there, peeking under the great cover of friend, brother, kind of surrogate father that he had been to many of them. Obviously he had to have matured somehow, and not only because of his family. All of her adopted family had had a very bad childhood – although she wondered if any of her creatures had to do with that.

She wanted to find him, she was desperate to do so, and she had a nasty feeling at the base of her neck, like she often did when she forgot something – not that she tended to forget things, but for some reason, sometimes she got distracted. The world's colours could be so lovely…

She shook herself to reality.

"There's something there," she muttered, thoughtfully. "Come on, Luna, think!"

"Luna?" called Hermione. "It's there something wrong? Did you find anything?"

Luna sighed sadly as she went to meet her friend, who was posed over her books, like some kind of predator. Huh, she'd have to research human behavior later, after all of this ended.

"We're missing something," she said miserably, throwing herself at the chair next to Hermione's, who propped an eyebrow to her friend's unusual behavior.

"Are you feeling alright, Luna?"

Luna nodded airily, and played with her hands while she spoke about her concerns.

"I just feel like we are missing something really important. Something obvious," her eyes lighted up a little. "Maybe we are over thinking this, Hermione."

Hermione frowned, and then nodded tiredly, her head backwards as if she had been thinking about it too, but couldn't get an answer.

Luna sighed again, frustrated with their lack of, well, everything, and felt herself slip away.

"**You will never find the answer, little Loony," **she heard, and she tensed. No way. Not again. She thought it had already gone away!

"**I will never leave, silly. I am here to stay. Doesn't that bother you?"**

Luna gasped when the table froze.

Hermione narrowed her brown eyes. "Are you sure you are okay Luna?"

"I am fine," Luna said, trying to relax and think about Nargles. It had been a long time since she had heard _them,_ since she had lost control of her powers. "I am just really stressed with all that has been happening."

Hermione massaged her temples, unaware of her friend's uneasiness. "I'm really stressed too, Luna. It's been a nightmare. I need to get out this house!"

"**Where have you heard that before, freak? Oh, that's right. Your even freakier friend, isn't it? He, who kept us away - too bad he is gone..."**

Luna winced, but then closed her eyes as a memory hit her. She had heard those words before, many years ago – like _they_ suggested – when Harry first told her about leaving his house.

…_It was claustrophobic there, _he had said, _I could not stay there. It hurt so, so much to go. Felt like hell, thinking about it, knowing no one really cared if I lived. Staying was destroying me; it was damaging me, changing me. I couldn't – I could only think 'I need to get out this house. I need to get out, now. And I did. I ended in some places where I shouldn't have gone. I ended doing things that I am not proud of. And then, just as I was about to go in deeper, I woke up. I found my real family._

Luna gasped, forgetting all about cruel voices. "That's it! Hermione, who did we think at first was the one who took Harry?"

"Dumbledore," Hermione said, and Luna could see the light turning on her eyes. "Luna, you are a genius! We have to tell everyone, right now!" she took the once more dreamy girl's hand and ran to the door. "I can't believe I was such a fool! It's so obvious. Oh, it's genius, really. The first time we suspected he made such a good excuse, we never doubted him again!"

Luna smiled as she followed her excited friend. Maybe finally she could start helping her friends as they had helped her, once, so many years ago…

* * *

_It was snowing. It seemed so perfect, everything was cold, and the windows were covered with frost – the perfect wonderland. There was a lost girl that no one really noticed among all the snow, with her grayish hair and pale complexion. No one except an older boy, dark haired, pale and with such beautiful eyes, who went to meet the small, abandoned girl._

_The dark haired boy, if anyone could describe him as that, bent down on his knees, smiling kindly at her. She, a small girl in what was left of a once beautiful dress, her long light hair in messed curls that slapped against her face madly, looked at him with confused pale eyes. Why was the stranger acting so nice to her? No-one ever acted this way when they met her._

"_Hey," he said softly. "I am Nightmare. What's your name?"_

_A normal child would have thought what a weird name, but the small girl didn't even blink._

"_I am Luna. Are you going to laugh at me too, like all the others?" _

_The boy – Nightmare – frowned. "Do people often laugh at you?"_

_Luna nodded energetically. "They never stop. I hear them all the time. They are voices, floating everywhere. They never stop."_

_Nightmare looked at her sadly. "I know what you mean, Luna. I can help you stop them."_

_Luna perked up. "You can?" _

_The pale boy laughed, and his eyes sparkled with knowledge. Luna felt herself comforted by it._

"_Of course I can. I've helped other people like you, like me."_

"_What happened to you?" Luna asked curiously._

_Nightmare smiled at her, this time, his eyes seemed sadder, but a lot angrier too, and she feared that she had insulted him somehow._

"_My family – they never really liked me, you know? I never fit in there. It was claustrophobic._ _I could not stay there. It hurt so, so much to go. Felt like hell, thinking about it, knowing no one really cared if I lived. Staying was destroying me; it was damaging me, changing me. I couldn't – I could only think 'I need to get out this house. I need to get out, now. And I did. I ended in some places where I shouldn't have gone. I ended doing things that I am not proud of. And then, just as I was about to go in deeper, I woke up. I found my real family." He stopped, giving her a hopeful look. "You can be part of that too."_

_He offered his hand._

_And she took it. The voices didn't bother her for years to come._

* * *

**Author Note.**

**Hey everyone. Sorry I haven't been on. My mum had to go into surgery because of some problems with her neck, and I have been really busy. That, and planning this chapter too :D I seriously never planned to write Luna as kind of a schizophrenic, but it kind of makes sense to me. She will NOT be schizophrenic, since that's a mental sickness that has no actual cure. **

**(This is where I researched, if you are interested :D www. psychologytoday articles/200701/in-your-head-hearing-voices)**

** I just thought that it would make sense, I mean, she is always so strong against bullies, and my guess would be because she has heard worse - she does not care about what other's feel of her. But the voices are part of her. It's her own demons, her own insecurities. I am working on my own theory about how did Harry helped her get it under control (yeah, not even I have it already figured out), but if someone has an idea, I would be forever grateful to you.**

**I will publish again tomorrow if anyone offers help with that (though maybe I will anyway, I am so bored)!**

**Lily**

**PS. By the way: I managed to upload this on Harry and JKRowling's birthday! So, even if she will never read this, happy birthday to both of them. Wow, this sounds weird.**


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